Walk This Way
by Yellow-Pink
Summary: Who will Yamato trade for his one true love? Had to re-upload this off my old name, that one crashed....R&R!
1. Default Chapter

"Hello? Guys?" I picked through the mess of jungle and concrete, my shoes kicking up puffs of dust as I picked my way gingerly through the wreckage. "Anybody? Hello? Guys! Guys, please answer," I mumbled, hoping someone could hear me, but knowing no one could.  
I guess it was my dumb luck that had spared me from this. I slept in; I had a flu and they insisted- no, Taichi and Takeru- that I stay in bed. I had seen the battle on the horizon, and had gotton there after I saw the mushroom cloud go up. Garurumon set me down on the edge of the war-torn ground, and waited while I picked my way through the debris. Suddenly, I saw a dirty brown glove under a pile of rubble. I whistled sharply. "Garurumon! I found someone!"  
The large wolf trotted over to me, stopping with a soft thud next to me. "Who is it, Yamato?" he asked me, and I struggled to lift the cinder off the body.   
"No clue," I struggled for breath and against the tears swelling up in my throat. "Gimme a hand, would ya?" Garurumon put his giant paw under the block and lifted it away, letting it crash onto another pile of broken tile and cement. "Careful," I scolded him. "We don't want anyone else hurt!" He hung his head and whispered, "Sorry." I gently wiped the dust off of the shirt of the body in question, and saw a blue tee-shirt.  
"Shit," I moaned. He swung his large head around to me. "What's wrong, Yamato?"  
"Look," I choked out, and I heard Garurumon growl. "Taichi…"  
Taichi lay before me, dirty and bleeding. His goggles were cracked, and blood tangled his hair on his forehead. I strained to pull his torso up without hurting him. "Taichi…Taichi…Taichi? Can you hear me? Taichi! Taichi!" I started crying. "C'mon, Taichi, wake up. Please! Please, Taichi, please…"  
A noise behind me caused Garurumon to whirl around and open his mouth protectively. I heard his voice become relived. "Sora!" I heard a feeble laugh and Garuramon scooped someone onto his neck. I turned around, still holding onto Taichi. "Sora! What happened here? Where are the others?" She slid down onto the ground next to me and looked at Taichi, then looked away, her short hair brushing her face.  
"Jesus, Yamato…where do I start? We had left you at camp…  
*Flashback*  
"Hey, guys, what is that?" Taichi called back to us. We'd been gone for an hour from camp, and we were getting a little hungry. Well, Mimi was. Anyways, Taichi stopped us. It was really hot, the sun had broken over our cover of trees, and we could see some sort of structure ahead of us. We were all baking. I remember because Biyomon was acting really strange, whining about her being frightened. I had just told her to relax for the third time when I heard Koushiro yell, "Taichi, behind you!" and then Taichi was knocked off his feet by this evil-looking thing that kinda looked like the Wicked Witch of the West and Pamela Anderson mixed. Koushiro whipped out his little Poke-dex thing, and he started babbling about whom it was. The only thing I really caught was "LadyDevimon", and then I got knocked out."  
*End Flashback*  
"Whoa…Sora, we hafta find the others before that digimon gets back here!" I said, panic in my voice. She nodded in her agreement. "Yeah, we do, Yamato. Biyomon is in my backpack…" she dug the bird-like digimon out of the worn pack. The pink Digimon yawned and said, "What's wrong?"  
Sora shook her head. "You're impossible, Biyomon. Now digivolve into Birdramon, and help us find the others!" Johanmon made a face and mumbled, "Sure thing!…Biyomon digivolve to… Birdramon!" A large red bird stood before us. Sora shook her head. "Thank god you can still do that!"  
Birdramon snorted and narrowed her eyes. Sora sighed and gracefully leapt onto the bird's back. "C'mon, let's go find our friends, you," and the pair flew off in the opposite direction.   
"Do you think they'll find anything?"  
"I donno, Yamato, but I hope so." I looked down at Taichi.  
"Hold on, baby...."  
Garurumon and I were still trying to wake Taichi up when Sora got back- we had found Agumon in the process, but he had become a nervous wreck when he saw Taichi, so I put him in my bag and hoped for the best. And they say Takeru's the Child Of Hope. Sora and Birdramon glided up, and teetering precariously before Sora, balanced on her lap, was Mimi and Palmon. Koushiro flew beside her on his champion digimon, Takeru hanging onto him, Tokomon perched on top of his head. I waved to the crew, and Sora and Koushiro brought their digimon to a halt before us.  
"That's everyone, yeah?" Sora said, but Koushiro shook his head.   
"No. We still have to find Jyou!"  
"Jyou! Where's Jyou? Is he alright?" Sora leapt down from Birdramon's back and looked around frantically. Koushiro laid a hand on her shoulder. "Easy, Sora. No need worrying, I bet he's in this mess somewhere…he never was smart."  
"Yeah, since when do you have the crest of PESSIMISM, Koushiro!" Takeru yelled, punching Koushiro and catching him off-guard. Koushiro flushed and sputtered indignantly. "What was that for, you little-"  
"Don't you ever say that about Jyou again!" Takeru yelled angrily, swinging. I stepped between them.  
"Guys! Guys, stop it! I said, stop!" I screamed at the two. "Instead of arguing you could be finding Jyou right now! He's fine, I'm sure that the reason Gomamon is like this is because he probably digivolve to help Jyou-"  
"Yamato!" Sora started, but I silenced her.  
"I'm the carrier of friendship, but this really isn't my job to remind you! But if you hadn't been so caught up in worrying about Jyou, I bet you'd have noticed he's right over there!" I waved wildly behind their shoulders. The reason that I have to tell you think is that while Jyou will be awake in less then an hour, Courage is nowhere to be found and all you can think about is Reliability! The reason Taichi has courage is because she doesn't ever stop! But look around! Where is he, huh? Jyou is safe, but where is Taichi? Why am I having to tell you this, h'm? Do you know! Well, do you know?" I yelled, my voice getting hoarse. I glared around at the kids before me. "Koushiro? Takeru? And Hikari! Do you know where your brother is! Do you! Why should I be telling you this, I carry friendship! Friendship, for god's sake! Not...Oh dammit, just look at Taichi! Are you so blind as to see that? So tell me, where's courage!"  
"Yamato," someone mumbled. I turned on Koushiro.  
"NO!" I hollered in his face. "Can't you see, you stupid…stupid…stupid…so stupid…why do you have knowledge, you're so…."  
"Yamato, what are you talking about?" Takeru asked me, genuinely concerned. I looked up with him, tears streaking my face.  
"Taichi's…he's…. Taichi's dead!" I cried, and crumpled into a little ball on the ground. There was shocked, stifled silence around me. No one seemed to know what to do. 


	2. Chapter 2

WARNING! This chapter includes obsene languages, depression, and severe medical disorders...not for little ones!  
  
"Yamato..."Sora leaned forward to touch my shoulder, but I jerked away. She removed her hand, as I began to twitch uncontrollably.  
I slammed into the ground, my body shakeing and jerking. I felt my eyes roll into the back of and whimpers my head, and my mouth opened, uttering incoherent moans  
and whimpers. I heard Sora scream, Takeru shout, and the voice of Jyou calling above the fray of it all, "...my god, he's having a seizure! A fucking, bloody seizure!" Another scream, higher-pitched, and a thump as Mimi reeled back into Sora, crying.  
"Guys, what's going on!?" I tried to scream, but the words didn't come out of my mouth. A gurgle emminated instead, and warm liquid gushed up my throat and dribbled down my chin. I wanted to know what that was, though I had a feeling it was either my lunch or a bodily fluid that's not supossed to come out there.  
"Oh dear lord..." Jyou moaned, and arms were under my armpits, heaving me to my knees. "He's going into shock!" The words were strangly muffled, like I was underwater.  
I bucked forward onto my knees, vomiting what I now knew, in some subconcious resovoir, was blood- the think, dark blood that comes from your liver and stomach, almost black- and it spattered into the ground. I could take it no longer, and I gave up the fight and reeled into the welcome blackness.  
***  
I woke to someone smacking my cheeks rather hard. Little wet drops were falling on my face. I slowly opened my eyes. "Oh-huh?"  
The red-haired girl stared down at me.  
"Yamato! Do you know-" she held a fist over her mouth, choking back a sob. She tried again, her voice failing some. "We've been so worried about you. We've taken Taichi back to camp. The Dark Mistress- the girl who- attacked us, left this for you."  
Hand shaking, she shoved a note into my hands. "Yamato" was calligraphed neatly on the folded front.  
"From- from..." I coulnd't bring myself to say it.  
"LadyDevimon....?" Sora said said quietly. I nodded.  
"Yes, her. But why?" I tried to hold back a sob.  
"Oh Yamato...it's so awful...I just can't bear it!" She threw her arms about my neck. "Here...here, just read it, I can't bring myself to say it." She buried her face in her hands.  
I shook the letter open, and read:  
"Yamato, carrier of Friendship-  
'I know that you love the carrier of Courage, name of Taichi. Now, because I'm a nice Digimon, I'm willing to let him go.'  
I sucked in my breath, daring to believe it.  
'However, there is a price.'  
My heart sank.  
'I would rather have another Digi-Destined then Courage, for he is of little use to me. There are three of you seven that would be valuable to me, and I'm willing to let you choose.  
'First, I would love to get my hands on Love. She's a caring girl, and I could use her to look after my child.  
'Secondly, Hope. He's such a bright little ray of sunshine, and he'd be a good companion for my little son, ChibiDevimon.  
'And I know that as Friendship it will be impossible to choose. So I leave you my final request, and you last choice.  
'Carrier of Friendship, I would be happy to release Taichi Yagami, carrier of coruage, in exchange for you.  
'Signed,  
LadyDevimon'  
I shuddered, and for a minute I was afraid I would have another seizure. I couldn't help from shakeing. Sora looked up, rust-coloured eyes redder then usual from crying.  
"What're we gonna do, Yama?" she whispered, terrified, and for the first time in my life I was left speechless.  
God how I wish I knew the answer. God how I wish I knew. 


	3. Chapter 3

I walked outside, blinking at the sunlight, and Sora let me lean on her. I cleared my throat.  
"I've come to a decision about the...predicament with Taichi." Sad, flat eyes looked up at me, and they all hurt me, burning my soul.  
"Yamato..." Sora said quietly, "I want to go." I turned my eyes on her. There was no need for her to be so brave. I hadn't picked her.  
"Sora!" Mimi threw herself on the redhead. "I won't let you....no!" She started sobbing, and I touched Mimi's head.  
"Sora's not going. Neither is Takeru." A collective gasp.  
"Oh, no, Yamato, you can't!" Someone grabbed my arm, but I shook them off.   
"I'm the only one that can go. I'm leaving now. I love you all." Sora cried out and latched onto my waist, and before I knew it, all the Chosen Children and their digimon were hugging me, and crying. We stayed like for a while, but after a time I peeled out of them, and wiped my eyes on my glove. "It's time."  
I could feel their eyes burning into the back of me as I walked away, with Garurumon by my side. After a while, in silence, I hopped onto Garurumon and we began to run towards the dark castle in the distance.  
Garurumon slowed to a trot and I lept gracefully off of his back, landing on my feet. I looked up at the castle and curled my lip.  
"Let's do it, Yamato." I nodded, and as I walked slowly up towards the castle door, one thought raced through my brain.  
'I'm coming, Taichi. I'm walking your way'. I reached the door, and Garurumon licked my back. I turned and gazed on him with soft eyes.  
"I love you, Yamato," his eyes radiated sadness and loyalty. "I always will." I rubbed his head.  
"I love you too, man. Do you have the same feeling I do...?"  
"Go on alone, Yamato. I'll be waiting." At these words, I turned from my best friend, my digimon partner, and headed into the unknown.  
Pushing on the black door, it lurched open and I slipped inside. I knew for certain that this was it. I walked down the hallway where I was being drawn by an invisible lead. A sudden, booming voice alarmed me, and I spun around, peering nervously into the darkest corners.  
"Why, hello, Yamato." I knew the voice.  
"LadyDevimon..." I hissed. She laughed, the harsh, cold laugh of a snake. I shuddered. "Where is Taichi! Where!"  
"Now, now, Yamato...patience is learned. Come this way. We have much to talk about." I followed her ethereal shadow down the hallway. She turned into a dimly lit room.  
"Now then, Yamato. I see you've decided to give yourself for Taichi's return. Would you like to see him and make sure you want to?" I nodded fevrently.  
A shady figure appeared before me. I reconized the large hair, the tan skin, but Taichi's eyes were the flat, dull eyes of a daemon.  
"Taichi..." I reached out for his hand, and I felt the mist of something solid slip through my fingers. The sprite of Taichi opened it's mouth, but no sound came out. I turned, my eyes burning, on Ladydevimon.  
"Where's his voice! Why can't he talk!" I demanded. She smiled.   
"Very good. You can see the real Taichi." Suddenly, the waif before me dissapeared and a solid boy appeared before me. His wide grin split his meloncholy face, and he threw himself into my arms.  
"Yamato! I missed you so much! Please say yes to her, please say yes..." he buried his face in my shoulder. "I promise I'll remember you! I promise I will!"  
I looked at LadyDevimon. "What's he talking about?" She smiled.  
"Your friend is very persuasive. He's conned me into a compromise."  
"What's that?"  
"Well, it's simple, really. You have three days to get Taichi to fall in love with you, and kiss you. A kiss of true love. But here's the catch- he won't have a memory of you, and you won't have your voice. If, in three day's time, you can get him to kiss you out of true love, you can have him back forever."  
"And if I fail?" my voice was tight, apprehensive. She laughed again.  
"Then I take Taichi and the Chosen Children, and I give Taichi his memory back, and you'll be cursed to wander the Digital World for an eternity- alone, with no one for company." She gracefully extended her hand.  
"Do we have a deal, Yamato Ishida?" I looked at her hand, then met her gaze. I stuck out my hand and caught hers in a firm handshake. She laughed, delighted.  
"It's set." I told her, and suddenly my voice was pulled out of my throat. She caught it in a glass vial, tucking it away into her sleeve. I tried to say something, but no sound came out of my mouth.  
"Perfect." She handed me an hourglass with black sand inside. "Each time this falls, that will be a day. She put it in the palm of my hand. "You cannot trick it. Three days begin at sunset, in five minutes. Good luck, Yamato."  
And with that I was swept back to the campsite in a whirl of crimson and black, praying I hadn't done something stupid. 


	4. Chapter 4- Day One

A/N- Here's Part 4, the 1st day out of the three Yamato has to win Taichi's love. Remember, he can't talk.  
The second day will be in Taichi's POV, for a change- yay, yay, yay. And Yamato has a heart-to-heart with Jyou. Hope you enjoy it, and stay tuned for another chapter soon!  
---YP  
  
I woke up, and worried rusty eyes were staring down at me. I felt a sudden weigth atop my chest, and a happy squeal of "Yamato!" let me knew I was back where I was supposed to be. I stood up and wlkaed out into the morning, sparing a side glance to the hourglass on the milkcrate.  
Taichi was surrounded by various people, looking dazed and confused. I walked over to them and knlet in front of Taichi. I extended my hand.  
"Er, I'm Taichi Yagami. Who are you? I've met everyone else...and these little animals, too..."  
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I tried again, in vain, because I knew that there wouldn't be an answer. Gabumon looked up, and caught my eye, and in that second I knew he had told the others about me.  
"This is Yamato Ishida." Taichi looked nervously at Gabumon, inching away from him. "He's mute." Taichi grated his teeth and nodded, staring at Gabumon.  
"Y'know, not to be rude or anything, but you guys kinda creep me out." Biyomon nodded, sympethetically.  
"You humans kinda creeped us out when we met you, too." Sora laughed at her.  
"Biyomon!" and Taichi smiled shakily. I shook my head.  
This was going to be tougher then I thought.  
Taichi seemed to handle everything okay- he was still getting used to the fact that yes, Digimon are real and can talk, and that these people wanted to be his friends.  
It seemed like he'd never had friends before. But he did remember Hikari, and he told Takeru about her alot. And the more he talked to my little brother, the more memory he seemed to regain. At least for this.  
Jyou and I sat together at lunchtime, not really talking. "You think this will work," he stated suddenly. I looked at him, then shrugged.  
"He's scared of us." I cocked an eyebrow. I didn't get that impression. Jyou laughed.  
"He seems to like Mimi, though. My Mimi, she can make anyone feel at home, can't she?" I nodded, and Jyou laughed. Then suddenly he grew serious.  
"I figured out why you had that seizure, Yamato. You have epelepsy. Ever heard of it?" I shook my head- it didn't sound familiar.  
"You take medicine for it. Do you take any medicine?" I nodded, my eyebrows furrowed. Had my parents been lying to me about my allergie medication?  
"Thought so. That's epelepsy medicine, I'm sure of it. Is it a white pill with a line down the center?" I nodded again. He had to know how stupid I felt. Shake, nod, shrug. Never thought I'd have only a three-word vocabulary before.  
"Yes, that's it for sure. I got some, though. Actually, Koushiro got it for you. He went through a busted telephone booth and nicked it from your father's apartment. Here you go," Jyou tossed me a bottle. I caught it and tucked it in my pocket.  
"You do love him, don't you?" I nodded furiously. Yes, yes, yes, Jyou. You have no idea how much.  
"If you don't get him to kiss you...we're going to die, correct?" I hung my head in shame. I hadn't thought of that. A few tears escaped my eyes and fell to the dirt, and Jyou wrapped an arm around me.  
"Now, now. It's alright. I don't blame you. I would have done the same thing if it were Mimi." I looked up at him, confused. I didn't know they were so intimate.  
"Yeah, we haven't really announced it." I moved my mouth, trying to say Jyou's name. He looked at me, surprised. "Do that again." I obeyed, and Jyou caught my chin in his hand, and grinned.  
"Yamato- I have a plan." I grinned wider and wider as Jyou told me a way I could communicate with everyone without ever saying a word.  
**Later that day**  
"Alright, alright, settle down. Since Taichi has joined us, I thought we'd go over how we talk to Yamato again, just for him." Jyou winked hugely, though I doubted Taichi saw it. Everyone else was hanging on Jyou's every word, desperate to know how to talk to me.  
"Now, Yamato uses body language. He nods, shakes his head, and shrugs. But he also uses his face to tell us what he means. When he furrows his eyebrows like this," I demonstrated, "he's confused. When he cranks one up, he's unsure. When he cocks them both up, he's surprised. Got that?"  
A few nods. "But wait, there's more. He will mouth things- your name, an obsenity- just single words or short phrases like that. He'll mouth something now, and I want you to tell me what it is."  
In my mind, I said "Hello." I moved my mouth as though I was saying it, and a hand shot up. Mimi.  
"He said, 'Hello'," Mimi responded promptly, proud of herself. Jyou smiled.  
"That's right. Let's try something harder, shall we?" In my head, and as though I were saying it, I spoke my coined line, and a tan arm raised itself shyly.  
Jyou called on Taichi. "What do you think, Taichi?"  
"I think he said...'Coz I'm da man.'" Taichi said, tentitavly. Mouths opened in shock.  
Maybe there was hope, after all. 


End file.
